Freeman's Asian Arts Auction offers a collection of collections
PHILADELPHIA, PA.- Freeman’s Asian Arts auction, Friday March 16th, brings together nearly 600 lots representing Chinese, Japanese, Korean and Southeast Asian works of art, and is scheduled to coincide with Asia Week in New York City.
With the world’s attention focused on South Korea, Freeman’s offers its own salute to the culture of Korea. A highlight of the sale is the group of Korean celadons, buncheong stonewares, and blue and white porcelains from a private Florida collection, representing seven centuries of Korean ceramic arts. Korean potters developed celadon-glazed wares in the 12th and 13th centuries, including unique pieces inlaid with black and white slip, which later developed into “buncheong” stonewares. The auction includes an unusual and appealing example of a celadon floriform bowl from the 12th century (Lot 133, estimate $1,000-1,500), incised and inlaid with the auspicious motif of boys and lotus, and delicately carved on the exterior with further lotus sprays, signifying wishes for a multitude of descendants. While the form may stem from the ceramics of the Tang and northern Song dynasties of China, and the motifs from the molded bowls of the Yaozhou kilns, the final product is wholly Korean
Lot 133. A Korean incised and inlaid celadon "Boys and Lotus" floriform bowl, Goryeo dynasty, 12th century. Dia: 7 1/4 in., 18.5cm. Estimate $1,000-1,500. Photo: Freeman's.
The five lobed circular bowl of rounded profile, on short circular foot, the interior inlaid with four boys bearing lotus buds on long stems, centered by a chrysanthemum and foliage, the exterior finely carved with two lotus blossoms and foliage, with a thick, soft grey-green glaze with tinges of blue, underside with three spur marks, gold lacquer repair.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Florida.
Literature: Martin Hall Barnes Lorber, "A Promenade through a Selection of Korean Ceramics in a Private Florida Collection", Arts of Asia, September-October 2013 p. 112, fig 10
This work will be accompanied by a copy of Arts of Asia, September October 2013
The 18th and 19th centuries were the age of blue and white porcelain in Korea, distinct in form and decoration from the porcelains of China and Japan. An 18th century faceted bottle vase (Lot 141, estimate $18,000-22,000), delicately painted with deer and bamboo, serves to illustrate an earlier, more austere trend, while the rare 18th century ring-form water dropper (Lot 145, estimate $3,000-5,000) displays the more elaborate elegance of a slightly later period. A boldly formed and decorated “Dragon” jar, 18th/early 19th century (Lot 147, estimate $10,000-15,000) evokes the vitality and vigor of its age.
Lot 141. A Korean blue and white porcelain "Two Deer and Bamboo" octagonal bottle vase, Joseon dynasty, 18th century. H: 10 1/4 in., 26cm. Estimate $18,000-22,000. Photo: Freeman's.
Of attenuated facetted pear form with flared lip, decorated in pale tones of underglaze blue with two deer and bamboo, under a grey-white partially ivory-toned glossy glaze, the foot with remnants of kiln grit.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Florida.
Literature: Martin Hall Barnes Lorber, "A Promenade through a Selection of Korean Ceramics in a Private Florida Collection", Arts of Asia, September-October 2013 p.115, fig 17. For other examples of this form, see the 24cm example decorated with plant design, illustrated in "The Radiance of Jade and the Clarity of Water, Korean Ceramics from the Ataka Collection", Chicago, 1991, p. 114, no. 78, and the 39cm plum blossom and bamboo-decorated example from the Song-am Art Museum, Inch'on, illustrated in Hongnam Kim et al "Korean Arts of the Eighteenth Century, Splendor and Simplicity", New York, 1993, pp 141-142, no 50.
This work will be accompanied by a copy of Arts of Asia, September October 2013
Lot 145. A Korean blue and white porcelain ring-form water dropper, Joseon dynasty, 18th century. L: 3 3/4 in., 9.5cm. Estimate $3,000-5,000. Photo: Freeman's.
With delicate triangular spout, raised on a short circular foot ring, the vessel well-decorated with peony or chrysanthemum sprays and a butterfly, under an even glaze with a pale blue tint, remnants of fine grit to foot.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Florida.
Aquired from Skinner Auction, Boston, December 3, 2010, lot 226.
Literature: Martin Hall Barnes Lorber, "A Promenade through a Selection of Korean Ceramics in a Private Florida Collection", Arts of Asia, September-October 2013 p.115, fig 19.
This work will be accompanied by a copy of Arts of Asia, September October 2013.
Lot 147. A Korean blue and white porcelain "dragon" jar, Joseon dynasty, 18th-early 19th century. H: 13 1/2 in., 34.4cm. Estimate $3,000-5,000. Photo: Freeman's.
Of bold baluster form with tall neck and slightly beveled foot, decorated in pale blue with two sinuous four-clawed dragons among clouds, a band of ruyi-heads at the shoulder, all under an ivory-tinged glaze, the foot with traces of kiln grit.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Florida.
Acquired from Skinner Auction, Boston, December 3, 2010, lot 245.
Literature: Martin Hall Barnes Lorber, "A Promenade through a Selection of Korean Ceramics in a Private Florida Collection", Arts of Asia, September-October 2013 p.117, fig 23.
This work will be accompanied by a copy of Arts of Asia, September October 2013.
The auction will also feature a broad selection of Japanese arts, including works being sold to benefit the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia, many of which were formerly in the Philadelphia Commerce Museum, such as the unusual “National Anthems” porcelain bowl (Lot 116, estimates $500-700) , and a Yayoi-style bronze bell (Lot 96, estimate $1,500-2,500).
Lot 116. An unsual Japanese porcelain "National Anthems" bowl; W: 12 in., 30.5 cm, H: 5 7/8 in., 15 cm. Estimate $500-700 Photo: Freeman's.
Of pentagonal form, the exterior decorated with gilt floral rondels and musical notations for the Japanese national anthem, on an iron-red ground; the interior decorated with oxidized silver emblems, incised musical notations for the Star-Spangeled Banner on a graded pale yellow ground, centered by a large blue star, the rim pierced with stars, underside inscribed "Ishikawa kenritsu kogyo gakko", and with an inscribed collections number 1910.30.
Provenance: Property sold for the benefit of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.
Gift of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, a/k/a Civic Center Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the above, 2009.
Lot 96. A large Japanese Yayoi-style bronze bell, dotaku. H: 22 in., 55.9 cm. Estimate $1,500-2,500. Photo: Freeman's.
Cast with arch-shaped handle, the hollow body designed with rows of horizontal and vertical bands filled with crosshatch diagonal pattern.
Provenance: Property sold for the benefit of the Japan America Society of Greater Philadelphia.
Gift of the Philadelphia Commercial Museum, a/k/a Civic Center Museum, Philadelphia, Pennsylvania, to the above, 2009
Additional Japanese works from the estate of Jerry Ettelman serve as a counterpoint and illustrate the aesthetics of wabicha, the elegant, austere form of the Japanese tea ceremony where the passage of time, inspired juxtaposition, and rough simplicity are valued. The Ettelman collection includes chaire (tea caddies), Chinese, Japanese, and Korean tea bowls, dishes, and accessories ranging from the 8th through the 19th century, such as the glazed pottery kogo in the manner of Ogata Kenzan (Lot 80, $400-600), and a group of three Jian-type stoneware tea bowls formerly in the “Sze Yuan Tang” collection of Anthony Hardy (Lot 294, estimate $2,000-3,000).
Lot 80. A group of three Japanese ceramic items . W of the deer box: 2 5/8 in., 6.6cm. Estimate $400-600. Photo: Freeman's.
Comprising: a blue-and-white oval kogo painted with deer on cover, in the manner of Kenzan; an olive-green glazed kogo, possibly 18th century, in the form of a shishi, wood box and shifuku; a Bizen double-gourd shaped water dropper with matte finish inscribed with characters.
Provenance: Property from the estate of Jerry Ettelman, by descent to the present owner
The first Kogo, possibly Usui; the second Blue & White America/Sotheby's.com, Pawling, New York, April 17, 2001; the third, gift from Usui to Ettelman, January 8, 1983.
Lot 294. Three Chinese Jian-type russet and black-glazed small teabowls, Southern Song dynasty. Largest bowl D: 4 1/8 in., 10.5cm. Estimate $2,000-3,000. Photo: Freeman's.
The rounded bowls on circular foot ring, one covered with a rich brown glaze of iron-rust tone and the other two with brownish black glaze, draining from a russet-brown lip, all with glaze stopping above the foot, revealing a red-brown to purple-brown body.
Provenance: Property from the estate of Jerry Ettelman, by descent to the present owner
Formerly in the collection of Anthony Hardy, Sze Yuan Tang Collection, no. 139a, b, and c, sold Christie's, New York, September 21, 1995
Additional Japanese works from other collections include a fine group of lacquers, a rare late 17th/early 18th century Kakiemon style porcelain large bowl (Lot 60, $1,000-1,500), and woodblock prints and paintings.
Lot 60. A large Japanese Arita porcelain bowl decorated in Kakiemon palatte, late 17th/early 18th century. D: 11 1/2 in., 29.2cm. Estimate $1,000-1,500. Photo: Freeman's.
The exterior with two tigers, rockwork and bamboo, the interior with three tigers, a dragon in the well, the underside painted with a millet spray.
Provenance: Acquired by Major General and Mrs. Edward Farrand in Japan after WWII
Gift from Mrs Farrand to the present owner, circa 1985.
Indian, Himalayan and Southeast Asian works include sculptures formerly in the collection of Louis and Annette Kauffman, Tibetan thanka and 12th-16th century Southeast Asian ceramics from a Pennsylvania private collection. This Pennsylvania collection also includes a number of Chinese ceramics dating from the Song to Ming periods, including a Chinese Dingyao “Lotus” bowl from the Song dynasty featuring an interior incised with twin fish (Lot 274, $4,000-6,000).
Lot 274. A Chinese "Ding" ware "Lotus" bowl, Song dynasty. Dia: 6 1/4 in., 15.8cm. Estimate $4,000-6,000. Photo: Freeman's.
Incised with two fish admist waves on center to the interior and carved with two registers of upright lotus petals to the exterior, the rim unglazed.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Pennsylvania
Acquired from Wang Jiao Shao, June 3, 1996.
In addition to Chinese ceramics, there will also be a wide array of Chinese works of art, textiles, furniture, sculpture and paintings. These include Qing dynasty carved jades and hardstones from a southeastern Pennsylvania collection, assembled prior to 1970.
Paintings will include landscapes by Li Xiongcai (Lot 576, estimate $15,000-25,000) and Bai Xueshi (Lot 577, estimate $40,000-60,000), and a portrait of a young woman by Deng Jianjin (Lot 581, estimate $10,000-15,000).
Lot 576. Li Xiongcai (1910-2001), Landscape of Huangshan, 1969. Ink and color on paper, inscribed and signed with two seals to upper right, mounted as a hanging scroll; sight H: 52 in., 132cm; W: 26 1/4 in., 66.5cm. Estimate $15,000-25,000. Photo: Freeman's.
The inscription indicates this work was inspired by a trip to Huangshan in 1965.
Provenance: Private collection, Taiwan
Thence by descent.
Lot 577. Bai Xueshi (1915-2011), Landscape of Lijiang. Ink and color on paper, inscribed and signed with two seals to upper right, mounted on silk and paper, unframed; sight H: 37 1/2 in., 95cm; W: 70 in., 178cm. Estimate $40,000-60,000. Photo: Freeman's.
The inscription indicates this work was inspired by a trip to Huangshan in 1965.
Provenance: Private collection, Taiwan
Thence by descent.
Lot 581. Deng Jianjin (B. 1961), Portrait of a woman, 1997. Oil on canvas, signed and dated to lower left, framed; sight H: 46 1/2 in., 118cm; W: 38 1/4 in., 97.1cm. Estimate $10,000-15,000. Photo: Freeman's.
Provenance: Property from a private collection, Florida.
Acquired from McCarty Gallery, Philadelphia, February 21, 2011
“This is a large sale with broad diversity of interesting and attractive works from great sources,” said Ben Farina, Head of Asian Arts. “There are works to appeal to the both beginning and advanced collectors, it’s well worth the attention of collectors, decorators and dealers across many fields."